Pneumatic glass feeder



Fatented Mar. 8, M32

THOMAS STENHOUSE, WASHINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO a 5.1" GLASS (70., 0F WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA, ABOBPORATIGN OF WEST VIBGIEEIIA NEUIATIC GLASS FEEDER 7 Application filed April 18,

The invention relates generally to that type of feeder in which glass charges are formed by periodically increasing and decreasing the pressure of air on the body of glass. Feeders ot' the pressure? and vacuum type are old and well known; and have been very successful in commercial operation. However, such feeders must be operated with care for otherwise it is possible that the body of glass 10 may gradually rise, due to a building up of vacuum, or may gradually fall, due to a building up of pressure. in accordance with the present invention, means is provided to prevent the glass from rising above a predetermined level, or from falling below a predetermined level. lhat is, the degree of vacuum may be increased or decreased, or the duration-of the application of the vacuum may be increased or decreased, as or the viscosity of the glass may increase or decrease, yet the glass will not be raised above a certain predetermined level, by reason of mechanism which is controlled by the level of the glass. Likewise, the pressure onthe glass may be increased or decreased, and the duration of the application of pressure may be increased or decreased, and the viscosity of the glass may be increased or decreased, without the glass being lowered below a ceraotain predetermined level In other words, in the present invention, the rise of the glass to a certain levelf'will automatically cause the application of vacuum to cease; andthe fall of the glass to a certain level will cause the application of pressure to cease; the controlling means being oper ted by the level of the glass. I

- *While in accordance with this invention the glass is automatically prevented from 40 rising above a certain level, or falling below a certain level, yet the invention also pro;

'vides for varying the-level toawhi'ch the glass" may rise orfall, for varying the period during'which the vacuum is applied, the period during which the pressure is applied, etc.

I do not present herein claims drawn to the broad subject-matter involved in the invention; such claims being presented in my application SeriaFNo. 444,808, filed April 16,

may be of 193a, Seria1 at. 445,374.

lhe particular structure disclosed herein will now be described; reference being had to the accompanying drawing; in. which the figure is a vertical sectional view of the feeder and flow spout. 55

Numeral 1 indicates a conventional flow spout having a flow orifice 2 provided with a removable bushing 3. Conventional shears, diagrammatically illustrated and referred to by numeral 4., are arranged below the fiow orifice for severing the formed charges, which then drop into molds, in the usual manner.

Mounted in' the flow spout, in alignment with the flow orifice, is the usual pressure and vacuum tube 5, supported by the cover 6 of the flow spout, and which projects downwardly into the glass to a point adjacent the floor of the flow spout. The glass normally rises in this tube to the level of the glass in the flow spout and tank. The flow spout may also be provided with the ordinary verticall adjustable gate of refractory mate-' rial not shown), for controlling or entirely shutting oil the flow of glass. All of the structure thusfar described is old and well 15 known in the glass art. Numeral? refers to a float of refractory material, which is adapted to float on the glass in the tube 5, and rise and fall with the glass. Theflower portion of the that 30 any desired shape, such as an ordinary disc, or it may have a ball shape, etc.; the only essential being that it be so shaped as to rise. and fall with the glass. ln-the form illustrated herein the float is of a gen- 5 eral cup shape.

The float may be connected with the valve -mechanism which-itactuates, in any desired manner. In the form illustrated, a metal rod 8 has its lower end embedded in the body of therfioat, and":the rod is protected by the refractory shank 9-which extends upwardly from the floatf proper; .The ;upper end of the rod is secured'tola'lcollar 10-,by means of nuts 11', and the collar is threaded onto, or otherwise attached to, the lower end of a coupling 12. 1 i I A metallic casing or housing is indicated by numeral 13. This casing or. housing encloses the valve mechanism and associated 10 parts, to be described hereinafter, and is mounted on top of the relation with the pressure and vacuum tube 5.

- Journaled in the housing 13, and having an air-tight connection therewith, is a lever 15. The inner end of this lever is connected with the coupling 12 by appropriate means,

as by fingers 16, which engage the lugs 17 projecting from opposite sides of the coupling. The opposite end of the lever 15 carries an adjustable counterweight 18, which counterbalances the float and the valve mechanism associated therewith, so that the float is lfree to rise and fall with the glass in the tu e.

Numeral 19 refers to a valveseat body, which is exteriorly threaded; for a portion of its length, whereby it maybe screwed into the housing 13 a variable distance. Of course, the valve seat body has an air-tight connection with the housing; and it is preferably locked in adjusted position b means of a lock nut.20. The lower end of t e valve seat body carries a a double valve seat 21, which will be referred to hereinafter.

Numeral 22 indicates a pipe leading from sources of pressure and vacuum, not shown. It will be understood, of course, that an ordinary distributor controls the alternate application of pressure and vacuum through pipe 22. It is unnecessary to illustrate the distributor, as they have been known for many years, and per se form no part of the present invention. The pipe 22 is formed with a drum 23 which embraces the upper portion of the valve seat body, and communicates with the interior thereof by means of a series of ports 24 formed in the valve seat body. The drumrests on a collar 25 formed on the valve body; and the drum is secured in place and the upper end of the valve body sealed, .b means of a ca 26 which is threaded into t e 11 per end 0 the valve seat body; the ca having a flange 27 which projects over t e drum, The swivel connection between the'drum and valve seat body permits the latter to be rotated, for the purpose of vertical adjustment, without derangin the drum or the pipe 22 associated therewit Numeral 28 indicates a valve stem, which has its lower end connected to the coupling 12 by a pin Any desired means may be oye em to connect these parts, but I prefera ly employ a pin or the equivalent, in order to prevent rotation of the valve stem f ralative to the coupling; the. couplirlgbei'ng held against rotation by reason of its connection with the lever 15.

Formed integral with, or attached to, the

" lower portion of the valve stem 28, is a valve 30, whicha's arranged below the double valve seat- 21. Arranged above the double valve seat, is a valve 31, having a cylindrical body 32, which is threaded on the valve stem .28,

flow spout in sealed atthe proper instant. This air under pressure will flow freely past the valve 31, into the housing 13, and thence into the tube 5, where it will exert its force on the glass therein. j

The pressure acting on the glass in the tube will force the glass downward, thereby accelerating the flow of glass through the flow orifice 2. The extent to which the level of glass is lowered in the tube will depend upon the pressure of the air admitted to the tube, the'length of time the glass is subjected to the pressure, and the temperature and viscosityof the glass.

- In pneumatic feeders of the prior art,=it I has been-impossible to automatically fix the level to which the glass in the tube is permitted to fall. In accordance with the present construction, however, as soon as the glass has fallen to a predetermined level, or in other words, when the desired amount of glass has passed through the bushing 3, the pressure will be automatically shut Ofl". This highly desirable function is accomplished by the float 7 which floats downwardly with the glass, and its downward movement lowers the valve 31 accordingly. When the float has descended to the desired point the valve 31 will close against its seat 21, thereby preventing the further admission of air under premure to the tube 5. In the figure, the glass has fallen to the desired level, and the valve 31 has seated.

The valve seat 21 may be adjusted up. or down by the rotation of its body, which is threaded in the housing 13. By adjusting this valve seat up or down, the level to which the glass is permitted to descend, is easily varied. Or, the level to which the glass is permitted to descend may be maintained, and the extent of rise and fall of the glass may be varied by adjusting the distance between the valves 30 and 31'; this adjustment-being made by rotating the element 32 which is threaded on the valve stem and which carries the valve 31. By adjusting both the valve seat and the valves, anygintermediate' action be obtained.

wise it was impossible in such prior feeders to automatically determine the extent to which the glass would rise under vacuum. In the present feeder the glass cannot rise above a predetermined level no matter how high the degree of vacuum may be, how long it is applied, or what the temperature and viscosit of the glass may be. For, as soon as the g ass rises to a predetermined level, the float, which rises with the glass, will cause the valve to engage the seat 21 and thus shut off communication between the tube 5 and the source of vacuum.

Any variations in the temperature and viscosity of the glass, are automatically taken care of in the present feeder, for if the temperature and viscosity changes so that thev weight of the charge would ordinarily be reduced, the pressure will automatically continue in action longer, thus obtaining the same weight of charge; and if the temperature and viscosity change so that ordinarily the charge wouldbe overweight, the duration of the pressure will automatically be re duced accordingly. So that while the present invention has been described generally as automatically controlling the pressure and vacuum in accordance with the rise and fall of the glass, it will be understood that it is substantially the equivalent of automatically controlling the pressure and vacuum to maintain the desired weight of charges.

The level to which the glass is permitted to-rise, may be varied as desired, by adjusting the valve seat 21 up or down. Or the level to which the glass is permitted to rise may be maintained, and the extent of rise and fall may be varied by adjusting the distance between the valves 30 and 31. Any intermediate action may be obtained by adjusting both the valve seat and the valves. 7

The severing of the charges has not been described; it being understood that the charges, when formed, are severed in the' usual manner. g

The particular apparatus disclosed herein may be changed and modified in numerous respects, without departing from the spirit of the invention, and all such changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims; it being understood that the claims drawn to the broad inventions involved,'such as automatically regulating the level of the glass, regulating the level of the glass by the movement of the glass, controllin the duration of pressure application by t e level of the glass, controlling the duration of vacuum application by the level of the glass, etc., are presented in my application, Serial No. 444,808, referred to hereinbefore.

What I claim is:

1. A pneumatic glass feeder including a flow spout having a flow orifice, afloat in contact with the glass in the flow spout, a housing having an air-tight connection with the flow spout, a valve stem'in said housing in substantially vertical alignment with the float, the valve stem and float being operatively connected, two valves carried by the valve stem, a valve seat body threaded in.

said housing in substantially vetrical alignment with the float, a double valve seat carried by said body and positioned between said from said float, valves carried by the valve stem and adapted to control the pressure and vacuum in accordance with the position of the. float, a lever, a counterweight carried by one arm of the lever, the other arm of the lever being connected with the valve stem.

3. A pneumatic glass feeder including a flow spout having a flow orifice, a pressure and vacuum tube projecting downwardly into the glass in the flow spout and in substantial alignment with the flow orifices, a float in contactwith the glass in said tube, a valve stem connected with and extending upwardly from said float, a housing having an air-tight connection with the tube and enclosing said valve stem, valves carried by the valve stem and adapted to control thepressure and vacuum, a lever, a counterweight carried by one arm of the lever, and means connecting the other lever arm with the valve stem.

4. A pneumatic-glassfeeder including a flow spout having a flow orifice a pressure and vacuum tube projecting downwardly into the glass in the flow spout and in substantial alignment with the flow orifice, a housing communicating with the tube, a valve seat body adjustably mounted in the housing, a closure for the upper end of the valve seat body, avalve stem, a valve threaded on the valve stem, the body of said valve being slidab'ly mounted .in said closure, a float in contact with the glass, and an operative connection between the float and valve stem.

5: pneumatic glass feeder including a flow spout having a flow orifice, a housing communicating with the flow spout, a member threaded in the top of said housing, said member carrying a valve seat at its'lower end,

a capiclosing the upper end of said member, a valvge body slidably mounted in said cap, a

valve carriedby the valve body and adapted v to cooperate with the valve seat, a valve stem on which said valve bod is threaded, and a float resting on the glass in the flow spout and operatively connected with said valve stem.

6.:A pneumatic glass feeder including a flow spout having a flow orifice, a housing communicating with the flow spout, a mem ber'mounted in the top of said housing, means for vertically adjusting said member, said member carrying a valve seat at its lower end, a float resting on the glass in the flow spout, and a valve arranged between the float and the valve seat, the valve and float being operatively connected.

7 A; pneumatic glass feeder including a flow spout having a fiow orifice, a vacuum and pressure tube projecting downwardly into the glass in the flow spout in alignment with the flow orifice, a housing communicating with the tube, a member mounted in the top of said housing, means for vertically adjusting said member, a valve seat provided on the lower port-ion of said member, a cap closing the'u per end of said member, means whereby the interior of said member alternately communicates with a source of pressure and vacuum, a float resting on the glass in said tube, a valve stem connected with said float and extending upwardly through the cap, a valve carried by the valve stem below said valve seat, a valve adjustably mounted on the valve stem above the valve seat, the body of the last-mentioned valve slidably mounted in and projecting upwardly beyond the said cap.

8. pneumatic glass feeder including a flow spout having a flow orifice, a pressure and vacuum tube projecting downwardly into the glass in the flow spout in substantial alignment with the flow orifice, a housing communicating with the tube, a float resting V on the glass in the tube, a valve sten extending upwardly from the float, two valves carried by the valve stem, means projecting upwardly beyond the housing for adjusting the distance between the valves, a double valve 4 seat arranged between the valves, and means projecting upwardly beyond the, housing for vertically adjusting the double valve seat. THOMAS STENHOUSE. 

